In 1878 the Boston Planing Saw Co. was manufacturing patent saw blades that planed the sides of the cut in order to produce a smooth surface. We do not typically include sawblade manufacturers in this listing of machinery manufacturers, but we feel the meager information we have on them is worth preserving.

The 1878 Boston Directory carried a color full-page ad from this firm. That ad, and the listings in the Directory itself, are the only mentions of this firm we can find: not on the web, or in Google Books, or in any other editions of Boston Directory, or in the Library of Congress Newspaper Archive, or in patent records. We did find a pair of 1879 patents (applied for in 1878) that were granted to Joseph A. Robbins of Boston and assigned to John Webster of Salem, and these two patents, for a planing sawblade, closely resemble the sawblade drawing from the ad. Webster was the treasurer for a relatively large New Hampshire textile maker and we assume that he was an investor in Robbins' development efforts. One of Robbins' patents was jointly granted to Ira C. Bumpus. In addition to these two patents for planing sawblades, Robbins was assigned a pair of more conventional sawblade patents that were granted in 1879 to Warren S. Hill, who seems to have been a manufacturer of conductor's punches in Boston.

From 1878 Boston Directory

Information Sources

• 1878 The Boston Directory, full-page color ad on page J for "Boston Planing Saw Co., No. 19 Spring Lane, Near Post Office, Boston. Manufacturers of the Patent Planing Saw., either Circular, Gang, Band, or other form, which leaves a better surface than by power or hand planing. Cuts off and Miters perfectly. Makes Glue Joins. Patent hollow ground, leaving centre full thickness of plate. Runs both ways, making it a Double Saw. When dull on one edge, turned on the arbor, a new and sharp Saw is ready for use. No sett. 3 saws in one..."
• Web search on Google Books search do not reveal a single other mention of this firm.
• Search for 19 Spring Lane. None of what's below seems to be relevant other than what we already found.
  • 1867 Boston Directory has the Boston Stereotype Foundry at that address, Daniel W. Rogers, agent. Also at that address were Curley & Lennon (Thomas Curley and Bernard Lennon, brass finishers), Wright & Potter (Albert J. Wright and Robert K. Potter, printers).
  • The above-mentioned 1878 Boston Directory has the Boston Stereotype Foundry at that address. Also at that address were Lennon & Co. (M. T. F. O'Donnell, John J. Murphy, brass founders and finishers)
  • 1879 Boston Directory has the Boston Stereotype Foundry at that address, George Deake, agent. Also at that address were Lennon & Co. (M. T. F. O'Donnell and J. J. Murphy, listed under plumber's materials and brass finishers).
• Joseph A. Robbins of Boston. This is a common name; the following are the entries we could not exclude:
  • 1878 The Boston Directory: "Robbins Joseph draughtsman, 76 State".
  • 1879 The Boston Directory: "Robbins Joseph A. brushmaker, 50 Sudbury".
• John Webster (Salem):
  • 1878 The Boston Directory lists "Webster John, treasurer, Newmarket Manufacturing Co. Newmarket, N. H., 40 Sears building, house at Salem". Newmarket Mfg. Co. were a textile manufacturer located in Newmarket, N. H., and established in 1823. This suggests that Webster's role was most likely as an investor in Robbins' efforts to develop improved sawblades.
• Warren S. Hill:
  • 1878 The Boston Directory lists "Hill Warren, manuf. conductor's punches, 235 Wash. house at Somerville". The 1879 edition has the same listing.
• Ira C. Bumpus:
  • Genealogy websites tell us that Ira Crocker Bumps (1844-1925), was born in Maine, was "severely wounded" in the Civil War, lived in Boston most of his life, and died in Everett, Mass.
  • A newspapers.com search reveals that Ira C. Bumpus worked as a saw filer.